This invention relates to an apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to an engine control apparatus for controlling the amount of fuel to the engine in time during which the engine is starting.
It is the current practice to ensure smooth engine starting operation by furnishing an extra charge of fuel to the engine each time a starter switch is operated, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 57-8327. One problem associated with such a practice is in that an over-enrich mixture is created in the engine, causing spark plug smolder and other disadvantage events in the engine if the starter switch is operated again in a short time to avoid engine stall. This problem stems from the fact that a part of the fuel supplied to the engine in response to the preceding operation of the starter switch is residual in the engine intake manifold when the engine stalls in a short time after the started switch is turned off and the residual fuel enters the engine cylinders along with the fuel supplied in response to the next operation of the starter switch.
In order to eliminate such a problem, it has been proposed to inhibit supply of fuel to the engine for a predetermined time after the starter switch is operated once. However, this creates another problem in that the operator cannot re-start the engine without waiting for the predetermined time even when the engine stalls after the starter switch operation.